Thomas keyworth



(No Model.)

T. KEYWORTH.

APPARATUS FOR FLUSHING THE BOWLS OF WATER OLOSETS. No. 311,587.

Patented Feb. 3, 1885*.

v N. PETERS. Pholn-Lflllogrnpher. Wlahinglun. D. c,

Uni-trap STATES Farmer rricn.

THOMAS KEYWORTH, OF BROOKLYN, NEXV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ED\VARD DAVIS, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR FLUSl-iliiG THE BOWLS OF vVATER-CLOSETS.

EBPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,587, dated February 3. 12885.

A pplicaiion fi'cd March 10, 1884.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS KEYWORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brook lyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Flushing the Bowls of later-Closets, (which, to the best of my l nowledge and belief, has not been in pub he use or on sale in the United States for more than two years prior to this application for Letters Patent,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of wa ter-closets in which the bowls are flushed by water supplied by or derived from a tank placed in an elevated position and in due relation with the said bowl, and connected therewith by a flushpipe; and the object of my said invention is toprovide a simple, cheap, and reliable means for flushing the bowls of water-closets of the class above mentioned previous to or after use without continued attention to or manipulation of the apparatus during such flushing, the time occupied by the latter being automatically controlled by the apparatus itself.

My invention comprises a novel combination of a geared movement (which may consist of clock-work, so called) with an elevated tank and a water-closet bowl, a flush-pipe, and its valve, in such manner that, the valve being opened, its return to close the pipe is retarded by the gearing for a space of time sufficient to insure the flushing of the bowl of the closet.

My said invention also comprises certain other novel combinations of parts, whereby the retardation of the closing of the valve as aforesaid, and the consequent flushing of the bowl, may be effected both prior to each use of the closet and after such use.

Figure 1 is a perspective view and partial section showing a water-closet furnished with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side view (with one side of the inclosing-shell removed) of mechanism which may be employed in carrying my said invention into effect; and Fig. 3 is a detail view more clearly illustrating certain parts included in Fig. 1.

(No model.)

A is the usual top of a watercloset, fur- 5o nished with the bowl B below, and having above the usual hinged vent, 0.

Supported in suitable bearings at the front .Of the top A is a rock-shaft, a, which has extending back from it a lever, D, from which a chain or other connection, E, extends to a vertically-sliding bar, A hereinafter more fully described. A sliding bolt, 1), works through vertical guides in the lateral portion of the top A, with its lower end having piv- (no otal connection with theleverl), as more fully shown in Fig. 3. \Vhen the seat Cis brought down to a horizontal position, it bears upon the upper end of the bolt 1) and depresses the same, thereby pulling ('lownward the chain or connection E. To assist-this action of the 1G? ver D, the rock-shalt a may have at its opposite end a vertically-extending arm or small lever, o, with a bolt, I), arranged to press downward thereon, in the same manner and for a like purpose as the bolt Z), seat 0 being constructed and arranged to press downward upon both of said bolls.

F is the usual elevated water-tank from which comes the supply of water for flushing. 75,

G is the flushing pipe, which leads downward from said tank to the bowl B, and which is attached to the interior of the said a bowl in any usual or suitable manner, in order to attract the flushing water in due relation with the said interior of the bowl. Atfis indicated the usual valve which serves to close the flushing-pipe G, except when the latter is opened by the lifting of the valve. This lifting of the valvesf is efi'ected by means of a lever, 5 as shown at g, and connected by a rod, 71, with the valve. The opposite arm of the lever is connected by a chain or other suitable connection, 2', with a vertically-moving rod or link, I, hereinafter more fully described.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 2,

J is the box or shell, in a fixed or stationary position adjacent to the other parts of the water-closet, as indicated in Fig. 1. A vertically-moving bar, A*, works in fixed guides a. It has at one side an angular tooth, 13*,

and at the opposite side a shoulder, (1*. A

spring, D*, is arranged to press upward under the shoulder 0*, to give an upward movement to the bar A*, while the the short arm extends upward and has pivoted to or within it a roller, The fulcrum or pivot of the lever K is indicated by z". A spring, F*, beais against the roller E in such manner as to press the lower arm of the lever K toward the bar A*, thereby tending to elevate the upper arm to that of the lever K.

Pivoted at k is aforked lever, L, the fork portion of which parts astride, so to speak, of the front of the roller 15*, the inner surface of said fork portion of said lever L being arranged to act like inclined planes upon the front of said roller when the said lever L is moved up and down. The outer end, m, of the lever L is arranged to act in conjunction with the tooth 13* of the. bar A*, as hereinafter explained.

A B (l D E F G indicate atrain of gearing or wheel-work, or, as it may be sometimes termed, clock-work, which may, when desired, be provided with a revolving vane, H, to increase the resistance to the rotation of the said gears, as hereinafter explained.

Pivoted to the shaft or axle I of the gear A is a lever, M, the extremity of which projects underneath the outer extremity of the upper arm or elbow-lever, K, and which is provided with a pawl (shown in dotted outline at c) which works into a ratchet-wheel, I), (also shown in dotted outline,) the said ratchet-wheel I) being fast upon the shaft 1 of the wheel A. The lever M is connected, as shown at d, with a rod or link, I, which, as hereinbefore explained, is'connected with the outer arm of the lever y, where it aotuates the valve fto lift or open the same when the lever D is depressed, as hereinbefore explained. The bar A* is drawn downward, whereupon the tooth 13*, striking the adjacent extremity m of the forked lever L, depresses the same, andtheieby causes the lower arm or fork, 02, to throw backwardthe roller 15*, and consequently the lower arm of the elbow-lever K,

thereby depressing the upper arm of said lethe lever 12 being relieved from ver K, which in its turn depresses the lever M, thereby drawing downward upon the chain or connection t and lifting or opening the valve f. Simultaneous with this the pawl d is brought downward in its relations with the ratchet-wheel b'that is to say, into the position indicated in dotted outline. This down ward movement of the bar A* continues until the are described by the end m of the forked lever L brings the same out of the path of the tooth 13*, as indicated by the lower dotted outline in the drawings, whereupon said tooth slips from said end, and the spring F*, forcing forward the roller audthe lower arm of the elbow-lever K, brings the forked lever L to the position represented in the drawings, and at the same time raises the upper arm of said elbow-lever, whereupon, downward pressure, the weight g tends to depress the valve and to close the flushing-pipe G; but inasmuch as the upward movement of the lever M is resisted by the friction of the gearing, aided, if desired, by the revolving vanes H, the descent of the valve is consequently hindered, and a certain time is caused to elapse before the valve is permitted to close the flushing-pipe, thereby insuring with said space of time the continued inflow of water to the bowl B, to flush the interior thereof. It will be seen, therefore, that when the seat 0 is depressed the valve is lifted to permit the inflow of water into the bow, and that this continues until the lever at has regained its elevated position. By this means provision is made for a preliminary flushing of the bowl B preparatory to the use of the water-closet. When the seat 0 is raised, it may be done in any usual or suitable manner. The lever D is of course released from downward pressure, and the spring D=- is consequently permitted to press upward to the bar A*, the forked lever L having, as hereinbefore explained, been brought to the intermediate position in which it is shown in the drawings. This being the case, the upward movement of the bar A* causes the tooth 13* to impinge against the under side of the end m of the forked lever L, thereby lifting the same, and causing the upper arm or fork, r, of said forked lever to throw backward the roller 13* and lower arm of the elbow-lever K in substantially the same manner as had previously been done by the lower arm, a, as hereinbefore explained, thereby again depressing the lever M and actuating the mechanism to elevate the valve to again open the flushing-pipe G, and when the tooth B in its upward movement slips past the end m of the elbow-lever L the spring F" again moves forward to the roller E and again brings the forked lever L to its normal or central position, the upper arm of the elbow lever K being at the same time lifted to permit the upward or return movement of the lever M, and the consequent closing of the valve f after the lapse of a certain tin1ein short, bythe resistance of action of the gears or geared movement A, B, O, D, E, F, and G, so that by this means the flushing of the bowl B through a determinate and regular period of time is provided for after the use of the water-closet.

I do not limit myself to the precise arrangement and construction of parts herein described, insomuch as the main or essential feature of my invention may be carried into effect in connection with gearing, geared movements, clock-work, or trains of gearing of various kinds.

It will be observed that each downward movement of the bar A transmitted through the forked lever L and elbow-lever K to the lever M, and thence to the flush-valve to open the same simultaneously by depressing the lever M, actuates the gears or clock-work in one IIO direction, and when released permits the upward movement of the lever M to permit the closing of the valve, this closing movement of the valve being retarded or slowed by the resisting action of the gears or clock-work when operated in the reverse direction by the upward movement of the said lever M, a like operation of course occurring when the elbowlever K is again thrown back by the upward movement of the bar A*, as hereinbefore eX- plained.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In awater-closet apparatus, the combination of the following elements, to wit: an elevated tank, a flush-pipe, a flush-pipe valve, a water-closet bowl, a movable seat, mechanism for moving said valve by the movement of said seat, and a train of gears or clock-work arranged to slow the movement of the valve in closing, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. In a water-closet apparatus, the combination of the following elements, to wit: a flush-pipe, a flush-pipe valve, the bar A constructed with a tooth, 13*, the forked lever L, 

